U.S. Hopes to Reduce Visibility in Iraq

[seemslikeadream]

U.S. Hopes to Reduce Visibility in Iraq
By LAWRENCE M. O'ROURKE
McClatchy Newspapers
Jun 27, 2004, 07:40



If Iraqi authorities exercise their restored sovereignty by asking the United States to leave their country, the United States will comply, said Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

Even on security issues, where the United States will maintain the dominant role, the effort will be to play down the U.S. presence, Armed Forces Chairman Richard Myers said.


Under questioning by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Armitage acknowledged that the war in Iraq has not gone as the U.S. government anticipated.

"What went wrong?" McCain asked.
"We underestimated the enemy, and we didn't destroy him in our initial attack and he melted away," Armitage replied. "We didn't reckon correctly with the extent to which Iraq had become a criminal society."


Wolfowitz said that while Iraqis will be in charge of their government and U.S. forces will provide security, the U.S. forces would not be obliged to take commands from the Iraqis.


Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., asked Wolfowitz how long it would be before Iraq achieves freedom and independence. Wolfowitz said that the United States is still fighting the war.

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http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_4750.shtml

[floda]

1. disgusting

"I would not say that the majority of Saddam Hussein's henchmen have been defeated," Wolfowitz said. "They are a significant part of the enemy that we're facing."

so no more isolated Pockets of resistance?
no more desparate left overs from the old regime?

I bet it's a strategy. They deliberately poorly equip and train the iraqi forces so that they can say they are not ready.

[Veggie Meathead]

2. The best way to reduce visisbility would be to disappear

From Iraq altogether. Bring the troops back home!

[warrior1]

3. I'm unclear on this

This Thursday, July 1, if the Iraqi's asks us to leave, we leave the country in total? Or we just do it on paper like Saddam custody, bullshit.

[mom cat]

8. Our appointed stooge won't ask us to leave. It would cut off his cash

flow and get him killed.

[Kagemusha]

4. It seems they're more comfortable with this lie now.

Useful for the US elections, begging for lots of trouble in Iraq.

Our Iraqi Diem has only begun to self-destruct.

[bemildred]

5. Whoa ...

"We didn't reckon correctly with the extent to which Iraq had
become a criminal society."

New spin, what a baseless slur, calling an entire people names
to cover his own butt.

[Wright Patman]

7. The world

did not reckon correctly what a "criminal society" had taken over the U.S. government in 2001 and remains in charge to this day.

[AP]

6. The invisible fist of the marketplace?

[burrowowl]

9. How do you reduce the visibility of

a gunship firing on civilian houses?